Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn how to use French coordinating conjunctions «et», «ou», «car», and «mais» to connect words, phrases, and sentences. Understand their meanings and functions with practical examples suitable for A1 learners. This lesson helps you form more natural and coherent French sentences by mastering these key connectors.
  1. Use "et" to connect similar elements
  2. Use "ou" to offer an alternative
  3. Use "car" to explain the reason.
Conjonction (Conjunction)Exemple (Example)
Et (And)Je peins ma chambre en bleu et gris.  (I paint my room blue and grey.)
Ou (Or)Tu colories en rose ou en vert ? (Do you colour in pink or in green?)
Car (For)Elle choisit le rouge car c'est sa couleur préférée.  (She chooses red because it is her favourite colour.)
Mais (But)Je peux peindre que en noir mais je préfère le gris.  (I can only paint in black but I prefer grey.)

Exercise 1: Les conjonctions de coordination:"Et", "Ou", "Car", "Mais"

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

car, mais, ou, et

1.
Le ciel est bleu ... les nuages sont blancs.
(The sky is blue and the clouds are white.)
2.
Je sais pas si je veux un pantalon marron ... noir.
(I don't know if I want brown trousers or black.)
3.
Ils ont des vêtements noirs ... pas blancs.
(They have black clothes but not white ones.)
4.
Ils veulent du jaune ... du orange ?
(Do they want yellow or orange?)
5.
Tout le monde porte des vêtements noirs ... gris.
(Everyone is wearing black and grey clothes.)
6.
Sa robe est violette ... rose.
(Her dress is purple and pink.)
7.
L'enfant colorie que en rose ... c'est sa couleur préférée.
(The child colours only in pink because it is their favourite colour.)
8.
Il peint ses murs en blancs ... il veut changer de décoration.
(He paints his walls white because he wants to change the decoration.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Je peins ma chambre en bleu ___ gris.

(I paint my room blue ___ gray.)

2. Tu colories en rose ___ en vert ?

(Do you color in pink ___ in green?)

3. Elle choisit le rouge ___ c'est sa couleur préférée.

(She chooses red ___ it is her favorite color.)

4. Je peux peindre seulement en noir ___ je préfère le gris.

(I can paint only in black ___ I prefer gray.)

5. Je crée une voiture rouge ___ blanche.

(I create a red ___ white car.)

6. Nous peignons la porte en jaune ___ en orange.

(We paint the door yellow ___ orange.)

Understanding Coordinating Conjunctions in French

This lesson introduces the essential French coordinating conjunctions: et, ou, car, and mais. These words are fundamental connectors that help link words, phrases, or clauses to express relations between ideas clearly.

Key Conjunctions and Usage

  • Et means "and" and is used to connect similar or related elements, such as in "Je peins ma chambre en bleu et gris." (I paint my room in blue and gray.)
  • Ou means "or," offering alternatives or choices, for example, "Tu colories en rose ou en vert ?" (Are you coloring in pink or green?)
  • Car translates as "because" or "for," introducing a reason, as seen in "Elle choisit le rouge car c'est sa couleur préférée." (She chooses red because it is her favorite color.)
  • Mais means "but," used to present a contrast, like "Je peux peindre que en noir mais je préfère le gris." (I can paint only in black but I prefer gray.)

Additional Notes

These conjunctions help you build more complex and natural sentences, moving beyond simple statements. Notice that car offers a cause or explanation and often appears in slightly more formal contexts compared to parce que.

Comparison with English

While English uses coordinating conjunctions like "and," "or," "because," and "but," the French equivalents sometimes have particular nuances. For example, French car directly corresponds to "because" but is reserved for more formal reasoning, unlike the more common parce que. Learning these connectors enhances fluency by linking ideas smoothly.

Useful Phrases to Remember

  • Je peins en bleu et gris. (I paint in blue and gray.)
  • Veux-tu du thé ou du café ? (Do you want tea or coffee?)
  • Je reste ici car il pleut. (I stay here because it is raining.)
  • Je veux sortir mais il fait froid. (I want to go out but it is cold.)

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This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

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Alessia Calcagni

Languages for communication in international enterprises and organizations

Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 29/05/2025 15:47